Track saw, should order one now?

Stick486 said:

DC...
the Bosch tools...
https://www.boschtools.com/us/en/boschtools-ocs/dust-extraction-attachments-tool-specific-23478-c/
the saw...
https://www.boschtools.com/us/en/bo...n-attachments-tool-specific-csdchute-27180-p/

today the Bosch would be a better tool than the Milwaukee. DW or Makita..
now this for new today tools and not yesteryear tools...

Click to expand...

it's a VOE thing... look to the saws on the shelf - pick a flavor... all of the DW's went to file 13 a long time ago...
also.. w/ what is being suggested is moving you from single purpose to multipurpose...

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edited pic...

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I'm using the 582 and 596 Wide Body Pro Grip Straight Edge Clamps from Peachtree and have been for years. I have an old B&D Corded Commercial circular saw with a thin kerf combination blade and also a DeWalt 18 volt circular saw, again with a thin kerf combination blade that I use with these clamps for breaking down sheets. I made a 1/8" Lexan zero clearance base for both saws and guides that fit the top of these clamps to keep the saws running true. Although I have to place the edge clamp away from the actual cut line by a fixed distance, I'm getting the same results that I would when using a track saw, so I've never purchased one.

I also made a cutting table for use when breaking down sheets outside my shop, but it has come in very handy when working away from the shop too. It's just a frame with banquet table legs. The legs are available from Harbor Freight and Northern. The frame is about 30" wide and 72" long made from 1 X 4 pine. There are five 2 X 4 cross pieces laid flat with the top edge of the frame, one in the center, and two more at each end, where necessary to attach the leg assemblies to their under side. All of the joints in the frame were joined with biscuits and TiteBond III, so there is no metal in the top 1" of the wood.
The only metal are the screws to attach the legs and two wood screws through square pieces of scrap on one side of the table. These screws are centered in the table frame, but offset in the squares of plywood, so they can be turned to be flush with the top surface of the frame, or turned to extend about 1 1/2" above the top surface. To load a full sheet on this table I turn these pieces so they extend above the table and then tip the table over on it's side with these pieces down against the driveway. Then I carry a sheet over to the table and place the bottom edge on these two squares of plywood, leaning the sheet against the table top. Then I reach down and pick up both the table top and the sheet until the table is standing on it's legs with the sheet lying flat on the table. I then turn these squares of plywood until they are flush with the table top and re-position the sheet stock so that the cut point is roughly centered on the table.

When making cuts I set the saw for about 1/4" deeper cut than the thickness of the sheet, position the straight edge for the first cut, and then make the cut. I can cut dead center down a full sheet and neither half of the sheet will fall when the cut completes. I no longer use saw horses for breaking down sheets because of this. The 1/4" kerfs in the table frame are too slight to weaken the table. If I should ever live long enough for the cuts to affect the strength of the wood frame of the table, I'll save the legs and build a new top for it.

After the first cut I can remove the off-cut, re-position the remaining piece, and continue cutting it down, again with no pieces falling to the driveway.
When I'm finished breaking down sheets, I fold the table legs, which fold up into the recess in the bottom of the table, and I store it against the sheet stock in my shop or slide it into my truck to return to the shop.

I've attached some pictures, but they are of my previous table. Two years ago the table became too heavy for me (I'm 75 now) so what you see in the pictures is my prior table with 2 X 4 edges. I scrapped it and made the lighter version, using 1 X 4 pine for the edge pieces and eliminated about 20 lbs of weight.

If you have one of these tables in your shop and need expansion room for a picnic, this cutting table with a full sheet of plywood on it makes a great makeshift expansion table for a larger than expected picnic too. DAMHIKT.

Charley

I had the Dewalt track saw and absolutely loved it. I switched to the smaller Festool because of their system (I have several other festertools), and it's fine too, but I miss my Dewalt.

Sold it to my brother in law and he raves about it every time I talk with him.

The Festool rails are a little "stickier" and don't require a clamp as often, but the Dewalt has great clamps. The Dewalt motor is fantastic and strong. The soft start is nice too. The Dewalt sits in the sweet spot in terms of power and weight between the large and small Festools. My small Festool is light and under powered.

Once you have a track saw and a couple rails you "find" ways to use it - forget all the old school ways. Straight lining, cross cutting, breaking down sheet goods, trimming doors and large panels - it all becomes easy. Take 1/16th to nothing off of an 8' board - child's play. With a good blade you have quality of cut equal to a jointed board. The only negative is a table saw beats it for many repeated same size cuts. I break down sheets into 1/8" over pieces and run them through the table saw for large quantities of identical pieces, but there are also parallel guides available made out of t-track that even out that equation.

From all I've heard the Makita is a great saw too, but if you've already picked the Dewalt just ORDER IT and don't look back.

Bought mine from toolup.com who had the best price when I bought mine and when a friend bought his.

Best of luck.

Like most people, for years, I used shop made jigs for my circular saw. 6 or 7 years ago I was remodeling our kitchen and needed a saw that would cut 8/4 butcher block for the counter tops. At the time the only saw available was the Festool. I thought the price was stupid, but figured I could sell the saw when I was done and get most of my money back. I used the saw, made cuts I never would have tried with a circular saw, including the sink cut outs, and discovered I could make accurate cuts on full sheets of ply without using the table saw. Then we moved, and except for the track saw and miter saw, all of my tools went into storage. I built my shop with those 2 saws, did another kitchen with the track saw, cut an 11' slab for a breakfast bar, used it for breaking down rough lumber and the list goes on. As far as I am concerned the saw has paid for itself many times over. Add in that I use the tracks for my routers and I could not be more happy with the system.
I am not saying that everyone needs a track saw, but personally I will never be without one.

RainMan 2.0 said:

1... Previously I'd use my Makita skill saw and a straight edge guide I bought from Canadian Tire , but the saws fence wasn't very tall , and the saw would go underneath the dam straight edge half the time as the sheet goods bent a bit.
2... but the money's spent .

3... One bonus with buying the track saw I guess , is the track can also be used with my FesTool router with the proper attachment

Click to expand...

1... if the sheet bent/sagged you had insufficient support under the sheet...
also those wide body guides I linked to are well made. heavy duty and solid...
and what makes things reall work is the carrier... if you had one on your 1st arrangement you would have seen a major difference in your cuts...
2... way more than you needed to... and twice at that...
3... same for the carriers linked that were linked to..

use something like these... they get even better w/ a center rip and can be made from 1x', 2x's or plywood....
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Here's a link to a recent comparison of 6 tracksaws, including the ones mentioned here, plus the Grizzly, Mayfell and Triton.

Track Saw Review | Tool Test | Woodworking

The Festool beat out the rest overall, but not by the margin you'd expect. DeWalt didn't do that well, and Makita scored very well with many of the same features as the Festool. The only shortcoming in the article is there's no mention of blade, so it's likely the author used the stock blade. Every saw I own does far better cuts when I use a premium blade. Most lesser brands supply an OK stock blade (probably to reduce the retail price), so I'd be interested in any feedback you folks have on the topic of replacement blades for track saws.

My own approach to breaking down sheet stock is rough cut a little oversized, then trim to exact dimension on the table saw with a premium blade. But I've been accumulating cash and this discussion has me tempted.

One other seemingly minor point: I use 5'x5' sheet sizes, so a 55 inch track is too short, and 100 inches is way too long. I didn't notice whether any of them had a longer track, say, 65 or 70 inches. Anyone know if such a thing is available?

The cutting grid I made and use is similar to the one Stick shows, except with one less cross member - the end ones are 12" in and the others are 24" centers. It works great, even for 1/4" plywood, although it's good to keep the cut line close to the longitudinal member.

I don't have it notched over the sawhorses, the assembly sits in a piece of plywood that has dadoes cut to accept the pieces - one day when I think about it, I should tack a couple of strips alongside the dadoes to retain the plywood strips a little better. It has been modified since this photo to include plywood flanges on each side so that it drops over the top of the sawhorse and can't slide off.